Through a blend of natural and human history, myths and realities, and personal and scientific observations, Arctic and Antarctic historian Kieran Mulvaney provides a cultural and ecological context for readers to consider the polar bear—its history, its life, and its uncertain fate as the polar ice dwindles year by year.

"When author Mulvaney joined an expedition on the icebreaker Arctic Sunrise, he planned to watch polar bears on the ice along the Alaskan shoreline, but most of the ice was gone. After days of searching, he finally saw an emaciated bear swimming far at sea. Such may be the fate of the species if global warming continues unabated.... Mulvaney skillfully describes the harsh nomadic life of polar bears. Readers who enjoy nature writing will appreciate this sympathetic report on the endangered state of the great white bear."—Booklist